THE ALPHA'S STEPMATE
"If I'm your shield, I need the plans for the siege."
With a deep sigh, Kael led me back to the darkest, quietest corner of the manor's third floor. He pressed a sequence of ancient symbols carved into the dark wood panelling. With a soft click, a section of the wall slid inward, revealing a small, dusty, circular room.
The air inside smelled of old parchment and latent power. It was the original Alpha's study.
In the center of the room, dominating one wall, was a massive, intricately detailed map of the entire Stormfang territory. It wasn't just topographical; it was annotated with symbols I didn't understand - lunar cycles, ritual sites, and boundary markers.